Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department requires an audit trail where consultation with (i) the Communications Directorate and (ii) special advisers results in a change to the information proposed for disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, recording the (a) original proposal, (b) change requested, (c) role requesting it, (d) reason given and (e) final decision.

The Home Office records the handling of Freedom of Information requests in accordance with departmental record-keeping requirements. There is no separate requirement based solely on consultation with the Communications Directorate or special advisers. Decisions on disclosure are taken by the department in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act and relevant records are maintained as part of the handling of the request.